Premium Cotopaxi Full Day Tour from Quito: Condors and Hacienda Lunch
Andes views, a chuquiragua garden and a centuries-old country house
Hike beneath the Andes, walk among chuquiragua plants, and look for Andean condors in Cotopaxi National Park on this private tour from Quito. Volcanoes line the road to the park, and lunch is a typical meal at a hacienda where a French geodesic mission once lived.
Step-by-step itinerary
Cotopaxi National Park and Hacienda visit
- Drive 86 km from Quito via Avenida de los Volcanes
- See volcanoes Atacazo, Corazón, Ilinizas, Pasochoa, Rumiñahui
- Enter Cotopaxi National Park
- Walk around Limpiopungo lagoon
- Observe local flora and fauna including Andean condor
- Drive to parking lot at 15,000 ft
- Continue to José Rivas refuge at 16,000 ft (depending on physical condition)
- Enjoy typical lunch at Hacienda La Ciénega
- Return to hotel
What’s included
- Private transportation.
- Visit to Saquisili's Indian market on Thursdays.
- Certified Tour Guide.
- Park Admission Fee.
- Every day 08:00
Information
You hike in Cotopaxi National Park, look for Andean condors at Limpiopungo lagoon, then eat a typical lunch in a hacienda with three centuries of history.
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The experience
Your day starts early, when the road out of Quito runs 86 km along the Avenue of the Volcanoes. Along the way, volcanoes such as Atacazo, Corazón, Ilinizas, Pasochoa and Rumiñahui rise one after another, until the entrance to Cotopaxi National Park comes into view. The park covers more than 33,000 hectares of trails, lagoons, rivers and waterfalls, and the Cotopaxi Volcano, with its majesty and beauty, anchors the whole landscape.
Next is the lagoon of Limpiopungo, where a walk lets you observe some of the flora and fauna that make their home around the water. The condor is an icon of the Andes, so keep an eye on the sky. Chuquiragua gardens surround you as Andean views unfold, and the trail climbs to the parking lot at 15,000 feet. If your physical condition allows it, you can continue to the José Rivas refuge at 16,000 feet.
Lunch is a typical meal at the Hacienda La Ciénega, a country house with more than three centuries of history. It was the place where the French Geodesic Mission lived while taking the measurement of half the world in 1736. After lunch, the drive brings you back to your hotel.
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Spanish.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.
Can I hike up to the José Rivas refuge?
Possibly, but only if your physical condition allows it. The stop at the parking lot sits at 15,000 feet, and the José Rivas refuge is at 16,000 feet.
Will I see Andean condors at Cotopaxi?
Condors are an icon of the area, and the route passes Limpiopungo lagoon, but no sighting can be guaranteed.
Which volcanoes can I see on the drive?
Atacazo, Corazón, Ilinizas, Pasochoa and Rumiñahui, among others, line the Avenue of the Volcanoes on the 86 km drive from Quito.
What else is there to see in the park?
Trails, lagoons, rivers and waterfalls spread across more than 33,000 hectares, with the Cotopaxi Volcano as the centerpiece.
Can I walk around the lagoon at Limpiopungo?
Yes, a walk there lets you observe some of the flora and fauna that live around the lagoon.
Operated by Guide Ecuador Travel. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 8 days ago
Cotopaxi Full Day Tour from Quito: Volcano and Hacienda
6h–8h · EN · ES · at your hotel
from US$ 145 per person
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